Long sleep on weekends can be a good way to make up for the missing hours of rest in the upcoming week, claims BBC Future.
When a person sleeps for 10 hours on weekends, it creates an energy reserve that can be used on challenging days when full sleep is not available. This approach allows the body to accumulate "extra" hours that can be utilized during tough moments.
During sleep, the brain is actively working: it cleans its "data" and replenishes glycogen stores—the main source of energy. The longer the sleep lasts, the deeper the cleansing occurs, and the fuller the "fuel tank." Therefore, after quality sleep, brain productivity increases.
As noted in the study, the "sleep bank" functions because the brain has more time to remove the waste products of neuron activity.
In studies of military personnel allowed to sleep for 10 hours instead of the standard seven, it was observed that they remained more effective even with just three hours of sleep. This is also confirmed by research dedicated to the concept of "sleep banking."
Similar results were found among doctors working night shifts, as shown by a study conducted at a Miami hospital, as well as among athletes according to specialists from the University of Bologna.
This method can be particularly useful before periods when sleep deprivation is inevitable, such as during a demanding work schedule or long flights. However, a constant lack of sleep will not allow for effective accumulation of hours for the future and will not compensate for previous shortages.
